West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-05-20

the '.long and short haul provision
of the law. The lie may be given to
that by the counter assertion that in
not one instance has the increase in
the rates of freight been caused by
the operation of this provision.
Moreover, Communication tickets have
been increased in price, to the dis
gust of the community, and the
mileage system of rates has been
suspended on many railroad lines
with the equally false pretence that
tue suspension was in obedience to
another provision of the Interstate
Commerce law. But the law eN-
pressly declares that nothing in its
provisions shall apply to the issu-
ancc of mileage, excursion or COM
mutation passenger tickets" Intel
ligent merchants and commercial
travellers must see that the law takes
full. fair appreciative and kindly
cognizance of their cases, and that
the law is, with malice prepense,
misinterpreted by the railroad cor
porations.
These corporations are wantonly
and perversly using the power they
possess above the law in question
for the purpose of worrying the pub
lie into hatred of the law. 1t must
be admitted that the plan Of cam
paign adopted by the strategical
corporation lawyers has met with
some success. Already such foolish
cries are heard as: THE law is an
outrage" at is raising the price of
commodities ut will ruin bust
ness in many localities" ut is a
boon only to the railroad compan-
ies," with much more of the same
absurd clamor. 1t may be conf
IDENTIFY asserted that in every in
stance in which complaint NAY be
made of the unequal or oppressive
operation of the Interstate Com
merce law, the cause, on investiga-
ton, will be found in the act of a
railroad company and be practically
irrelevant to the influence of the
law. But because the railroad cor
porations took advantage of the
time when the act went into opera
ton TO change their schedules, to
advance their rates for freight and
travel, to abolish milage tickets, and
to do other acts of oppression, the
blame of it all is sought to be put
upon the law. The American PEG
pie. as we trust and believe, are too
intelligent to make themselves the
dupes of so transparent an artifice.
In the meantime. however much
the enemies of the Interstate Com
merce law may rage, its equitable
provisions will have silently and
surely become established in practi-
cal railroad operations. One step
has been made in the ruling by the
Commission that the express com
panies, as common carriers, must be
held to be fully within the meaning
of the law. 1t is not likely that
these companies will seriously un-
dertake to dispute so plain propo-
sition. In regard to the ''long and
short haul" clause, it is not likely
that the Commission will be permit
ted to exercise very long the discre-
ton that the law reposes in it.
Meanwhile, the province of the
Commission is TO give the fullest
effect to the intention of Congress
The object of the law is to put an
end to the unjust determinations in
railroad charges that have been so
long practiced against persons and
places, and this great object is to be
kept constantly in view in interpret
ing any obscurities in the language
of the act. 1t would be monstrous
perversion of the spirit of the law if
its provisions should be used as
means Of aggravating the mischiefs
that have been inflicted upon the
public by railroad monopoly. But
of this there will be slight danger
while our Courts shall continue to
give sound rulings. Though the
monopolies and their organs have
done their utmost to abuse the pub
lie mind concerning the operation OF
the law, they will not be permitted
to make it an engine OF oppression
and iniquity.